Whip stock anchor



Jan. 3l, 1939. R. B. KINZBACH WHIP STOCK ANCHOR Filed July 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l K A oo lv. 7

jam.. EL QBQ. R. B KlNZBACH ZQZE WHIP STOCK ANCHOR Filed July 25, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 31, 12939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a whip stock anchor.

An object of the invention is to provide means for anchoring a Whip stock in fixed relation to a pipe, or other obstruction, in a well bore.

At times a pipeor other obstruction becomes stuckin a well bore in such manner that'it can not be removed. In such case it becomes necessary to side track the stuck object, that is, to divert the bore and continue drilling deeper alongside the obstruction. For the purposel of side tracking, a whip stock, having a sloping face, may be anchored in the bore above the obstruction'to be side tracked and a suitable side tracking tool then lowered into the bore and deflected by the sloping face of the whip stock and drilling continued through the deected bore, thus formed.

It is the prime object of this invention to provide eilicient means for anchoring the whip stock in place against downward movement as well as against rotation to the end that the bore may be side tracked at the depth and in the direction desired.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor of the character described that may be telescoped within, or over, the upper end of the obstruction and securely anchored thereto,A

said anchoring means being provided with means for the attachment of the whip stock thereto.

With the above and other objects in view, the

invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrange' ment of parts, examples of which are given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l shows a side view, partly in section of the anchor and whip stock as located in a well, said anchor being of a form to be inserted into the stuck pipe and being shown in active position.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the anchor proper shown in inactive position.

Figure 3 shows an upper end view of the anchor.

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a perspective sectional View of one of the anchor jaws.

Figure 6 shows a side view partly in section of the anchor and whip stock as located in a well, said anchor being of the type that will telescope over the stuck pipe and being shown in active position.

Figure 7 shows an enlarged vertical sectional View showing the anchor in telescoping relation with the stuck pipe with the jaws ln inactive position.

(Cl. Z55-1) axial water course 4 leading from the upper to the lower end thereof. The lower end of the mandrel may be rounded off as at 5 to facilitate its entrance into the upper end of the pipe I. The mandrel has the upwardly and outwardly flared dovetailed grooves 6 in which are mounted the upwardly tapering dovetailed jaws I whose outer faces are longitudinally toothed as more accurately shown in Figures 4 and 5. These jaws are fastened, in their lower or inner positions, to the mandrel, by means of frangible pins such as 8 and the upper ends of the jaws are formed with the outwardly turned lugs 9 which extend out beyond the external'surface of the mandrel. This mandrel and the jaws form the anchor proper. The numeral I0 designates a whip stock of well knownconstruction whose lower end is approximately cylindrical. This whip stock-has the upwardly tapering arcuate face I I forming a\deflect ing face against which the side tracking topi such as a drill or milling cutter may operate. The whip stock is connected to the anchor by) means of a coupling I2 having the water passageway I3 therethrough and whose upper and lower ends are internally threaded to be screwed onto the reduced outwardly threaded pins I4, I5 at the lower end of the whip stock and at the upper end of the anchor respectively as shown in Figure l. The lower end of the whip stock may have a channel I6 therethrough aligned with the channels I3 and 4 and through which flushing fluid may be forced to washout the upper end of the Ystuck pipe to facilitate the entranceof the/ anchor.

As shown in Figure 1 the whip stotk I0 is located opposite an open hole,v that is,l opposite that portion of the hole or bore not having a casing therein and in such instance when the whip stock is set a drill may be lowered on the lower end of a drill stem into Contact with the deflecting face II andas the drill is lowered and rotated the bore 2 will be side tracked, that is, it will be formed alongside the stuck pipevI and the bore as relocated may be drilled to any desired depth.

In locating the whip stock I0 in the bore it may be attached to the lower end of a tubular string as I6 as shown in Figure 6 by means of a frangible pin II also shown in said last mentioned gure. The assembly, as shown in Figure 1, may then be lowered until the mandrel 3 enters the upper end of the stuck pipe i. The lugs 9 will land on the upper end of said pipe and their downward movement will be thereby stopped. The pin I'I is considerably stronger than the joint strength of the pins 8 so that the said last mentioned pins will be sheared by the weight of the string I6 and of the whip stock, and the mandrel 3 will move further downwardly causing the jaws 'I to expand or move outwardly into secure engagement with the pipe I. If the upper end of the pipe I is irregular not all of the lugs 9 may contact therewith, in which event some of the corresponding pins will not be sheared and only the jaws 'I corresponding to the lugs 9 which actually engage the upper end of pipe I will be moved outwardly into engagement with said pipe but this will be suicient to anchor the mandrel 3 to the pipe. The drill, or other tool, will usually be rotated to the right and the external teeth on said jaws are pitched in a corresponding direction so that said teeth will engage thev pipe I to prevent the turning of the mandrel 3 or of the whip stock. When the jaws I are wedged against the pipe I the drill and mandrel 3 will be thereby held against further downward movement. When the anchor is thus secured in place the weight of the string I6 will cause the pin I1 to shear and the string I6 may then be withdrawn and the side tracking tool lowered as hereinabove explained.

In some instances the side tracking tool may be attached to the lower end of the string I6 and in such event upon shearing of the pin I'I said string may be further lowered and simultaneously rotated to accomplish the side tracking operation at one trip.

The form shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive is adapted for telescoping over the upper end of the obstruction, such as pipe I. In this form the mandrel 3a is of tubular formation and is of a size to pass over the upper end of the stuck pipe, and is provided with the inside upwardly converging dovetailed grooves 6a in which are located the upwardly tapering jaws 'la whose upward ends are formed with the inwardly turned lugs 9.-

These jaws are pinned in upper or inactive position by the pins 8a. The mandrel 3a is connected to the whip stock I0 by the coupling I2.

This type of apparatus may be assembled as shown in Figure 6 and let down into the bore by means of the string I6 and the mandrel 3a will telescope over the upper end of the pipe I which is stuck in the well. Upon engagement of any lugs 9a with the upper end of the pipe I, stuck in the well, the downward movement of the corresponding jaws 1 will thereby be stopped and the pins 8a, sheared, and the mandrel 3a will move on downwardly contracting the jaws 'Ia into gripping relation with the pipe I. The inner sides of these jaws Ia are toothed and they will grip said pipe and hold the anchor against further downward movement as well as hold the anchor and the whip stock against turning relative to the stuck pipe. Upon further downward movement of the stem I6 the pin I'I will be sheared and the stem I6 may then be withdrawn for the side tracking operation as hereinabove explained of if a drilling tool is attached to the lower end of the string I6 said string may be lowered and. rotated and the side tracking operation thus performed.

As shown in the figures the upper end of the stuck pipe I is beneath the lower end of the well casing I8 which is set in the well bore. 'I'he stuck pipe however may extend up into said casing and in such case the whip stock will be set in the manner hereinabove explained up in the casing I8 and when the whip stock is set the conventional milling tool will be employed to cooperate with the whip stock to mill out the side of the casing I8 to form a window or opening therethrough i`n the usual and well known manner and thereafter the milling tool and the string, by which it is operated, will be withdrawn and the conventional' drill will be lowered into the well through said window and the bore will be deepened alongside the original side tracked bore until the well is completed.

Ihe drawings and description disclose what is Vnow considered to be preferred forms of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be dened by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A whip stock ancho` comprising a mandrel shaped to be brought into telescopic relation with the upper end of a pipe in a well, gripping means carried by the mandrel and having a shoulder immovably mounted thereon and engageable with the pipe to effect movement of the gripping means into engagement with the pipe and support the anchor against downward movement or rotation relative to the pipe and means for supporting a whip stock on the anchor.

2. A whip stock anchor comprising a mandrel shaped to be telescoped with a cylindrical support, grip jaws on the mandrel, means normally maintaining said grip jaws out of engagement with the support, said means being releasable upon movement of the mandrel into telescopic relation with the support and xed shoulders on the gripping means engageable with the pipe to effect the relative movement of the jaws and mandrel, upon such release, to cause the jaws to engage the support whereby the mandrel will be maintained against downward movement and rotation relative to the support.

3. A whip stock anchor comprising a mandrel shaped to telescope with the upper end only oi a pipe in a well, a pipe gripping jaw on the mandrel, means for maintaining the jaw in inactive position out of engagement with the pipe and the upper end of the jaw having an overturned portion engageable with the upper end of the pipe eiective to cause the movement of the jaw, relative to the mandrel, when the mandrel is brought into said telescopic relation whereby the jaw is caused to grip the pipe.

4. A whip stock anchor comprising a supporting member `shaped to be telescoped with the upper end of a pipe in a well and having a guide disposed angularly relative to the axis of the supporting member, a grip jaw movable on the guide, means maintaining said jaw in inactive position on said member, a fixed shoulder on the jaw engageable with the pipe, upon movement of said member into telescopic relation with the pipe, effective to move said jaw into position to engage the pipe and support said member against downward movement and against rotation relative to the pipe, a coupling carried by said member and forming means for the connection of a whip stock thereto.

5. A whip stock anchor comprising an approximately cylindrical supporting member shaped to be telescoped with a pipe in a well and having a guide thereon arranged in angular relation with the axis of said member, a pipe gripping Jaw on said guide. means for fastening said jaw against movement along the guide and in inactive position, a shoulder integral with the jaw engageable with the pipe upon movement of the supporting member into said telescopic relation whereby, upon further downward movement of the supporting member, the fastening means will be disrupted to permit movement of the jaw into gzipping relation with the pipe whereby the supportmember will be anchored against further downward movement and rotating relative to the pipe.

6. t whip stock anchor comprising an approximately cylindrical supporting member shaped to be telescoped with the upper end oi a pipe in a well and having a guide thereon arranged in angular relation with the axis of said member, a pipe gripping jaw on said guide, means for fastening said jaw against movement along the guide and in inactive position, a stop rigid with the jaw engageable with the pipe upon movement of the supporting member into said telescopic relation whereby, upon further downward movement oi the supporting member, the fastening means will be disrupted to permit movement of the jaw into gripping relation with the pipe whereby the supporting member will be anchored against further downward movement and rotation relative to the pipe and means for attaching a whip stock to theupper end oi the supporting member.

'i'. An anchor for a whip stock shaped to be telescoped with an obstruction in a well bore and comprising a supporting body, a plurality of gripping jaws thereon independently engageable with lthe obstruction when said supporting body is moved into telescopic relation with the obstruction, each jaw having a shoulder immovably mounted thereon and engageable with the upper end of the obstruction and effective to actuate said jaw into engagement with the obstruction.

8. A whipstock anchor comprising a mandrel shaped to be telescoped with the upper end of a pipe in a weil, gripping means on the mandrel whose upper end is overturned outwardly and engageable with the upper end of the pipe to eect movement of the gripping means into engagement with the pipe to support the anchor against downward movement relative to the pipe and means for supporting a. whip stock on the anchor.

9. A whip stock anchor comprising a mandrel shaped to telescope over the upper end of a pipe in the well, gripping means carried by the mandrel whose upper end is overturned inwardly forming means for engagement with the upper end of the pipe to effect movement of the gripping means into engagement with the pipe to support the anchor against downward movement relative to the pipe and means for supporting a whip stock on the anchor. 

